


Dear Pen Pal,

by Missanna444



Category: Wynonna Earp (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - No Powers, F/F, F/M, Fluff and Angst, I'm so sorry, Pen Pals, the most cliche thing you will ever read
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-10-08
Updated: 2018-10-25
Packaged: 2019-07-28 06:05:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 7,305
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16235699
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Missanna444/pseuds/Missanna444
Summary: Waverly Earp gets an anonymous pen pal through a service in hopes that it will help her make friends. So does Nicole Haught. Because they are required to use fake names and remain anonymous, they don't realize they have actually met in person when Nicole gets transferred to Purgatory for a deputy sheriff position. They've fallen in love through their letters, but chaos ensues as they try to manage their feelings for each other in person.In short: Nicole and Waverly are anonymous pen pals. They meet in person, not realizing that they're speaking to the person they've fallen in love with though their letters. Feelings happen.Note: This story is on hiatus until I finish "fighting for you".





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This first chapter is super short, but the others will be longer, I promise!

“Waves, what’re you-- Are you writing a letter?”

 

“Oh, hi, Wynonna. Yes, I am.”

 

“Care to explain why?” Wynonna Earp asked, sitting down on the couch beside her younger sister and offering her a donut. Waverly smiled and selected the vanilla dipped donut from the box Wynonna was holding out.

 

“Well, you know how I’ve been feeling kinda… well, low?” 

 

“Yeah. Babygirl, you can tell me anything. If things are rough right now--”

 

“It’s okay, Wyn, I promise. I’m okay. But I thought it would be nice to just… talk to a stranger, make a new friend, whatever. So, I joined a program that assigns anonymous pen pals! You take a questionnaire to show your interests and basic information, then they match you up with someone. They send you the fake name they chose to use, and their address and you can write to them! So, I’m writing to a woman by the name of… Rayleigh. She’s in Colorado.”

“Her fake name is Rayleigh, anyways. She’s in Colorado, huh? Not too far, then.” 

 

“Wynonna, Colorado is huge. She’s probably pretty far. Still, this is really cool! I just finished writing my first letter to her.” Waverly said, showing her sister the envelope. 

 

“What’s the fake name you’re using?” Wynonna asked. She was both amused and curious about this. Waverly looked slightly embarrassed as she replied. 

 

“Wendy.”

 

“Wendy? What are you, a Purgatory soccer mom?” 

 

“Hey, I looked it up, and it means ‘friend’. Besides, I wanted a name that started with the same letter that my real one does, and the other ones I found were too similar to yours and… and Willa’s.” She explained. Wynonna’s face softened at this. 

 

“Okay, sis. Hey, I’m about to meet up with Dolls and Doc over at Shorty’s. Want to come with? Apparently, Dolls has a new guy he wants to add to our group.” 

 

“Sure. I’ll be ready in just a moment. Can we mail this on the way?” 

 

“Of course we can.”

 

Three days later, Nicole Haught received her first letter from a woman she would come to know as “Wendy”. Excited to see what this person was like, she opened it and read it the moment she got home from work that evening.

 

_ Dear Rayleigh, _

_ Hi! I’m the person they matched you up with at that Pen Pal service! That’s such a cool name you chose. How is it pronounced? Anyways, I’m not so good at this letter writing thing, so I apologize if I start to ramble. I guess I should start by telling you a little more about myself, right? Then I won’t be as much of a stranger. _

_ I am a 24-year-old woman. I live in Purgatory. I’m not kidding, my town is literally called Purgatory. But you knew that from the address they gave you for me, didn’t they? Oh, well. I still think it’s funny. I love local history and I’ve spent a lot of time studying different cultures and languages, especially older ones. It’s so fascinating. I have an older sister and two really great friends. They mean the world to me. I was thinking about maybe getting a dog or something someday. They’re supposed to be really great companions.  _

_ What about you? Where are you from? What do you do for a living? Sorry if any of that is too intrusive, those are just suggestions they said we could use and I can’t think of anything else. I can’t wait to hear from you! I hope you have a wonderful day! _

_ Sincerely, Wendy. _

 

Nicole smiled to herself as she read the letter. Whoever this was, she seemed very sweet and definitely someone Nicole was going to enjoy writing to. Maybe this was just what she needed, someone to talk to after a long day at work. With that thought in mind, she tossed a frozen dinner into the microwave and sat down to compose her first letter.


	2. Chapter 2

Waverly knew better than to be running through the house in her socks, especially on their wooden floors, but she couldn’t help it. She’d seen her sister go out to get the mail and was waiting in the kitchen when Wynonna stepped inside.

 

“Someone’s eager to see the mail.” Wynonna’s tone was sarcastic, but she smiled. “There’s a letter for you. From that Rayleigh person.” 

 

Waverly took it quickly and ran upstairs to read it. She was sure there wasn’t any private information on it, but she wanted this to herself. She loved her friends and her sister, but this was something she didn’t want to share with them right away. This was hers and only hers. 

 

Once in her room, she sat down on the bed and carefully tore open the envelope and unfolded the paper inside. 

 

_ Dear Wendy, _

_ The name you chose is so pretty! Mine is technically pronounced like RAY-lee, but people sound like they’re saying “really” when they say it out loud, which is kinda funny, I guess. It’s not my real name, but I’ve heard it out loud plenty of times. That’s so funny that you mentioned you’re from Purgatory. I’m in Colorado too, but I’m still quite a drive from where you are. Why is this state so big? It makes no sense. There are small European countries smaller than Colorado. You like local history, huh? Is Purgatory as interesting as it sounds? It’s amazing that you have a sister and some friends you really care about. That’s some of the essentials of life, I think. I’m excited to get to know you more from these letters, you seem really cool! _

_ I’m 26, and a cop. I’m just an officer for now, but there are a few deputy positions open in different towns and I’ve applied for all of them. I’d love to be a sheriff someday. I really do love this job, despite how difficult it can be sometimes. I’m not originally from Colorado, but I moved here when I was a kid. I was born in Arizona. I haven’t been there since I was eight. But that’s okay, I love it here.  _

_ You mentioned in your letter that you’re interested in local history, along with languages and culture. That sounds so interesting and I’ve honestly never gotten to meet someone interested in those things before. How’d you get interested in that stuff? Any chance it’s because Wyatt Earp used to live in Purgatory? He’s a bit of a legend, so I can imagine that’s all you hear about sometimes. Whatever the reason is, I think it’s awesome you like that stuff. Not a lot of people do, but it can be really interesting sometimes. _

_ As much as I’d like to write more in this letter, I just got a call to head to the police station. I guess there’s a robber on the loose. I can’t wait to hear from you. _

_ Sincerely, Rayleigh.  _

 

Waverly smiled to herself, reading the letter. Rayleigh was a cop. Interesting. She couldn’t imagine how difficult it must be, but she was glad her new friend was doing something she loved. She found herself trying not to blush at all the comments and compliments in the letter. No one thought all that stuff was cool, yet here was a perfect stranger talking about how fascinating it was. 

“Was it because of Wyatt Earp that I got into that stuff? Kind of, but only because I’m supposedly related to him. But I probably shouldn’t tell you that just yet, Rayleigh.” She chuckled to herself as she pulled out a notebook to write her next letter in. Unfortunately, she didn’t get far before Wynonna knocked on the door. 

 

“You ready to get going, babygirl?” The older Earp asked. They were supposed to head out to Shorty’s again. After meeting Dolls’ friend Jeremy, they had all decided to get actual food together instead of just drinks. 

 

“Oh! Right, of course. Sorry, I totally forgot. I got so excited to read the letter and write back, it kinda slipped my mind. But, yes, I’m absolutely ready to go.” Waverly smiled and grabbed her shoes before heading out with her sister. 

 

That evening, she sat at a table at Shorty’s with Doc, Dolls, Wynonna, and their newcomer named Jeremy. 

 

“So, um, Waverly, tell us about this pen pal thing. It sounded kinda cool, even if writing letters is a little outdated.” Dolls asked, unaware that Wynonna wasn’t supposed to tell him that. He was made aware quickly, however, when Waverly’s eyes widened and her face blushed pink.

 

“Wynonna… Why’d you tell them?” She sighed.

 

“Because honestly, it’s a little creepy that you’re communicating with a stranger who now has your address! And I wanted to see if they were concerned about it.” Wynonna rolled her eyes. 

“It’s not creepy. I swear. And, to answer your question, Dolls… it’s been cool so far. I just got my first letter from her. She seems really nice, actually. She’s a cop, and she hopes to be a sheriff someday. She said she really loves her work.” 

 

“Uh oh. Do not tell her about Wynonna. There’s about a million things she could arrest your sister for.” Doc joked dryly. Upon seeing the horrified look on Waverly’s face, he corrected himself, “I was only kidding. Your sister is not in any legal trouble… that I know of.” 

 

Jeremy cleared his throat, trying to break the awkwardness. “Well, whoever she is, she seems awesome, Waverly.” He said with a smile. He might have been new to the group, but her certainly was correct in his guess that Waverly would appreciate his words. 

 

“Thanks, Jeremy. You definitely come to our dinners more often. You seem like a nice guy.” 

 

“Really? Thank you! I definitely will! I mean, as long as I’m welcome.” 

 

“You’re always welcome, buddy.” Dolls nodded. No one knew it then, but Jeremy Chetri would soon become Waverly’s best friend and one of her closest confidantes. 


	3. Chapter 3

One Year Later

 

_ Dear Rayleigh, _

_ Can you believe we’ve been writing to each other for a year already? It’s so nice to have someone new in my life, and someone like you. I don’t know how you can stand to read my more long-winded letters, yet you always respond with even longer ones that just ask me more questions. People don’t often listen to me that much, so thank you for that. But I want to know more about you! How are those deputy jobs coming along? Were you a candidate for any of them? From what you’ve told me, you absolutely deserve it. If you do relocate, do tell me your new address! I don’t know how well I’d deal with not having your letters to read every few days. It sounds silly, I know, but I always look forward to them so much. I’m sorry for the short letter, I’ve got lots of work to do with Wynonna today.  _

_ Your friend, Wendy.  _

 

Nicole sighed as she packed the letter into the box she’d kept all the others in. It was the last one to go on her truck for the move. She had been offered a position as deputy sheriff in Purgatory, and she was surprisingly terrified. Not because of the position, no, she was excited for that. But now she was closer to actually meeting her pen pal. She hadn’t told her yet, that she would be in the same town. Her letters would be forwarded to her new address, so she’d still get anything “Wendy” sent without her finding out that they now lived in the same house. She didn’t want to hide it from her, but she honestly wasn’t sure she was ready to meet her. So, for now, she wasn’t going to say anything.

 

By the time she got to Purgatory, she was so stressed about this whole idea that she headed to the only bar that seemed to be in town: Shorty’s. With a sigh, she sat down on one of the barstools and waited for the bartender to come and take her order.

 

“Hi, there! What can I get for you?” A bubbly voice asked and Nicole looked up to see a pretty brunette standing behind the bar. 

 

“Oh, um, hi.” Nicole smiled. “Just a beer please.” 

 

The brunette smiled and nodded, then left to get the drink. When she came back, she regarded Nicole with a look of both concern and interest. 

 

“Here’s your drink. I hope you don’t mind me asking, but are you alright? You look a little… I don’t know, stressed? Anxious, maybe?” The young woman asked. Nicole shook her head with a dismissive chuckle.

 

“I’m alright, just tired. I’ve got a lot on my mind. I just moved here, and I start my new job tomorrow…” Her voice trailed off. 

 

“Ah, got it. I thought you might be new, I didn’t recognize you.” She said, then added quickly, “You work here long enough and you get to know everyone in town. I’m Waverly, by the way. Waverly Earp.” 

 

Nicole blinked in surprise, for a moment thinking the woman had said her name was  _ Wendy _ . But that couldn’t be possible. Wendy was just a fake name. 

 

“Is something wrong?” Waverly asked, noticing the look on the redhead’s face.

 

“Oh, um, no. Sorry, I just thought-- nevermind. It’s really nice to meet you, Waverly. I’m Nicole. Nicole Haught.” At Waverly’s raised eyebrows, Nicole expected some sort of joke about her last name. 

 

“Nicole Haught? You’re not by any chance the new deputy, are you?” 

 

“I am. How’d you know?” 

 

“I know Sheriff Nedley, and he mentioned your name a few days ago when I asked about how the hunt for a new deputy was going.” 

 

“Makes sense.” Nicole smiled, somewhat relieved to not to hear what she was expecting. 

 

“So, what’s the new deputy doing here, drinking on the night before her first day on the job?” Waverly teased, somehow knowing already that Nicole was far more responsible than that.

 

“Just one drink tonight.” Nicole explained with a chuckle. “I’ve still got to do some unpacking, and my cat will be mad if I don’t feed her exactly at 10:00pm.”  

 

“Aw, you have a cat? What’s her name?” Waverly asked. Before Nicole could respond, a young woman walked in. 

 

“Waves, some mail came for you. Your shift is long today, so I figured I’d bring it over.” The woman said and Waverly eagerly crossed the room to get it from her.

 

“Thanks, sis!” She smiled and put it in her pocket. She went back to the bar, only to find Nicole was gone and some money to pay for the drink was in her place. Waverly frowned slightly, surprised at how disappointed she felt. She’d felt oddly comfortable talking to Nicole, as if they’d known each other for years. She didn’t have time to wonder about it before Wynonna wandered up to the bar. 

 

“Who was that redhead you were talking to when I came in?” The older Earp asked, a hint of gentle sarcasm in her voice. 

 

“Nedley’s new deputy, apparently.” Waverly smiled. “She seemed nice.”

 

“Good. Maybe she’ll give you something to think about besides waiting around all week for your next letter.” 

 

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Waverly frowned slightly.

 

“First of all, I saw how happy and smiley you were with her. Second of all, you’ve gotta find something better to do than agonize about those letters.” 

 

“It was almost two weeks since the last one. They’re getting further and further apart and I-- I’m just nervous. What if she doesn’t like talking to me anymore? What if I’m not enough?” 

 

“You are enough, babygirl. She might just be busy. Her job has gotta be demanding, I’m sure it’s just been a long month or so.” Wynonna reassured her. Waverly just nodded, hoping she was right.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had to do a time jump. But hey, now they've met!


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you think me posting every day is going to continue forever, you're wrong. But I had the day off from class and I was waaaay too excited to continue this. Thank you so much for all the comments and kudos! It is appreciated more than you know!

_Dear Wendy,_

_I’m so sorry it took so long to get back to you. Everything’s been crazy with work and I just haven’t had the time to write. That doesn’t mean I’ve stopped thinking about you, though. Sometimes I go about my day and I find myself making note of things that happen so I can tell you. So, to make up for my absence in writing, here’s a list of things I wanted to remember to tell you about:_

 

  * __My cat, Calamity Jane, woke me up at 3:30 this morning, deciding to purr loudly next to my face. Because my alarm is set for 4:30, there was no point in falling back asleep. If there are any spelling errors in this letter, well, it’s because I’m exhausted.__


  * _I saw a book the other day that reminded me of you. It was a book about constellations and stars. I know you’re more of a history person, but you mentioned once that you liked living in Purgatory because you could see the stars better than in the city._


  * _It snowed the other day. I don’t know why that made me think of you, but it did. Maybe because you said you like the first snow of the season, but after that it’s kind of gross? I have to agree with you on that. Unfortunately, winter is way too long here._


  * _A bird almost pooped on me yesterday. That didn’t make me think of you, I just thought it might make you laugh._



 

_That’s all I’ve got for you today, I guess. Still, it’s more than my most recent letters. How are you? I’m sure a lot has happened in the last two weeks. How’s Purgatory? Talk to any interesting people? I want to hear about anything and everything, even the most boring of details. I’ll write back as soon as possible._

_Yours, Rayleigh._

 

“I wonder what this means…” Waverly murmured, sitting with Jeremy in the kitchen of the homestead one afternoon.

 

“What? That she wrote back to you? I mean, you are pen pals, so--”

 

“No, Jeremy. I just… she said that she thinks about me. And she wrote down things that made her think of me, and she remembered things I told her months ago. To top it all off… she signed it ‘yours, Rayleigh’. That’s… I don’t know.”

 

Jeremy pondered this for a moment before responding.

 

“Waverly, do you… maybe have feelings for her?”

 

“What? No! I barely know her. I mean, we’ve never met in person. I can’t have feelings for someone I’ve never met. That’s just ridiculous.”

 

“Says the girl who blushes every time she reads a letter from her pen pal. From what you’ve both opened up to each other in a way that you haven’t to anyone else.”

 

“Not helping, Jer.”

 

“You’re the one who asked for my advice. And since you won’t let me actually read the letters, this is the best I can do.”

 

“Promise you won’t tell Wynonna?”

 

“I promise.”

 

At that moment, there was a knock at the door. Waverly looked surprised, not expecting anyone. She got up and walked over to the door, opening it to see Nicole Haught standing there in her uniform, with her police cruiser parked down the road.

 

“Deputy Haught? What can I do for you?” Waverly asked.  

 

“Hi, Miss Earp. I’m really sorry to intrude, but my cruiser broke down just down the road while I was on patrol. May I use your phone? My radio wasn’t working well out here.” Nicole explained.

 

“Oh, of course! Come on inside. Our landline is just in the living room here. And please, just call me Waverly.”

 

“Thank you, Miss-- um, Waverly.” Nicole smiled slightly and stepped inside, following Waverly to the living room.

 

“Hey, uh, Waves? I’m gonna head out.” Jeremy said, grabbing his jacket.

 

“You sure? Oh, this is Deputy Haught, by the way.”

 

“Nedley’s new hire?”

 

“That’s me.” Nicole smiled.

 

“Nice to meet you, Deputy. I’m Jeremy Chetri. I work with forensics.”

 

“I didn’t know we had a forensics team here.” Nicole raised an eyebrow.

 

“Yeah, it’s a team of one. We’re severely underfunded, so it’s just me.” Jeremy explained. Nicole frowned at this.

 

“Any way we can change that? Not having a full forensics team jeopardizes the work of the police force.” She said. Jeremy just shrugged.

 

“I’d suggest talking to Nedley about it. Apparently he’s been battling that very thing for years. I really gotta go, though, my shift starts in twenty minutes.” He said, putting on his jacket as he headed out. “Bye, Waves!”

 

“Bye, Jeremy!” Waverly smiled. “The phone is right here. I’ll be in the kitchen if you need anything. Can I get you anything to drink? Water? Coffee, maybe?”

 

“Oh, no, thank you. That’s very kind of you.” Nicole smiled and picked up the phone to make her call.

 

Waverly headed into the kitchen and made herself some tea. After a few minutes, Nicole wandered in.

 

“Thank you so much for letting me use your phone. I have to go out to the car to wait for the tow truck. Is there any way I can thank you? Can I buy you a coffee sometime?”

 

“Oh, Deputy, you don’t have to do that. Really, I’m happy to have helped.” Waverly smiled kindly. She hadn’t expected any sort of repayment for such a simple thing.

 

“Please? I’d like to. If you’re not comfortable, of course I’ll back off, I just--”

 

“No, it’s alright. I’d love that. Maybe tomorrow? There’s a cafe a few blocks away from Shorty’s.”

 

“Sure. How’s noon sound? That’s when I get my lunch break.” Nicole asked.

 

“Perfect. I’ll see you then.”

 

“Have a good rest of the day, Waverly.” Nicole nodded and smiled as she headed out.

 

“You, too, Deputy Haught.” In that moment, Waverly was glad no one else was around, because she was definitely blushing.


	5. Chapter 5

The next day, Nicole headed out to get coffee with Waverly. It was a short walk from the station, so she managed to get there a little early. As she stood in line to get a drink, Waverly walked in. 

 

“Deputy Haught! Hey!” Waverly smiled. Nicole smiled and waved her over quickly. 

 

“What do you want to drink? I’ll buy it if you get us a table.” She smiled. 

 

“Oh! Okay. Um, just an herbal tea is good for me. Nothing in it, just the tea.” 

 

“Got it. Oh, and by the way, you don’t have to call me Deputy Haught. You can just call me Nicole.” 

 

“I… Okay. Thanks for buying it, I’ll totally pay you back--”

 

“Waverly. I’m paying you back for helping me out yesterday. We’re even.” Nicole chuckled softly, impressed by Waverly’s kindness. Waverly just nodded with a soft smile and headed off to get them a table. Nicole smiled to herself, weirdly giddy at seeing Waverly smile like that. She shook her head, trying to ignore the feeling that she needed to do whatever she could to make Waverly smile. After getting their drinks, she headed to the table Waverly had chosen. 

 

“One herbal tea.” She smiled, handing it to her. 

 

“Thanks, Nicole.” The brunette grinned. 

 

“Anytime.” Nicole said as she sat down.

 

“So… how’s work so far today?” Waverly asked tentatively, not sure how to make conversation.

 

“It’s been good! A rough first few days, but I’m really getting the hang of it. The worst part is the paperwork. I guess I can never get away from that.” She replied with a shrug. 

 

“What’s the hardest part about being a cop?” Waverly asked curiously. She had once asked her pen pal the same question and wondered if Nicole had a similar opinion.

 

“The hardest part? I don’t know. I mean, it’s an incredibly rewarding job. But I guess the hardest part is seeing the sort of things you wouldn’t see if you weren’t a cop. I mean, I’m only a few years out of the Police Academy, but I’ve already seen horrible murders, really sad hate crimes, all sorts of things.” Nicole replied. Waverly nodded, having heard the same thing from Rayleigh’s response in a letter. Somehow, she didn’t quite see the connection between the two of them. 

 

“I can’t imagine what those things must be like. I’d never be a good cop. That’s why I do research and I work with Jeremy sometimes. It’s a little easier to distance yourself from all of it.” She explained and noticed a slight smile from Nicole. “What?”

 

“I’m just thinking about how smart of an approach that is. You’re smart, Waverly. You still want to help people, but you get to do it without totally putting yourself in danger.” The redhead explained. Waverly smiled into her drink, trying to hide how happy that compliment made her, even if it wasn’t necessarily intended that way. 

 

The two ended up talking for another hour, both of them realizing that they’d never opened up to someone this much before. At least, not outside of their letters. It was refreshing and it was wonderful. This thought, though, made both of them a little sad and for the same exact reason. Both were starting to have feelings for each other, but also for their respective pen pals. Neither of them acted upon these feelings, too confused. A few nights later, Waverly wrote a response to the letter “Rayleigh” had sent. 

 

_ Dear Rayleigh, _

_ You don’t have to apologize for being busy. Your job sounds like a tough one, and I understand the need to dedicate time to it. Your story about that bird made me laugh, so thank you. I appreciated that. What was the name of the book you found? I wonder if I can find it somewhere. _

_ Thank you for asking how I am, I really appreciate that. I’m doing really well, actually. It’s not often we meet new people in Purgatory, but I did see a new face or two recently. It’s good to know that Purgatory has level-headed and kind young people to keep it running. You should visit Purgatory sometime. It’s a little strange and definitely a small, quiet town. But it has its good parts, too! You’d love some of the people here. If you ever do stop by, let me know, okay? I’d be happy to show you around. After all, I do know more about this town than most people.  _

_ Yours, Wendy. _

 

Nicole read over the letter several times when she got it. Though she was terrified of actually meeting “Wendy” so soon, part of her desperately wanted to know if she’d met her already. She paused when she read over the part about “Wendy” seeing a new face in town. As far is Nicole knew, she was the only person to move in within the last year. By that logic, “Wendy” was someone she’d already met. But she had no idea who. She’d already met so many people, it was impossible to judge. While she was pondering this, she got a text from Waverly.

 

_ Waverly: Thanks again for that coffee date. _

_ Waverly: Not that it was a date!  _

_ Waverly: Sorry, I meant a friend date. Are we friends? I don’t know. But seriously, thanks again. _

_ Nicole: You’re welcome. :) It was really great. I’m happy to be friends if you’d like. _

_ Waverly: Absolutely! I’d definitely like that. _

_ Nicole: Cool. You’re officially my first friend in Purgatory. _

_ Waverly: Well, I’m honored.  _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I officially know how they are going to figure out who each other is. Unfortunately, it requires another chapter or two of build up. Re-reading this chapter, I can think of a few ways one might think it's going to happen. But I promise you, it's absolutely obvious once you find out what it is. :) 
> 
> Thank you for all the amazing comments and kudos! You guys are so amazing!


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry and also you're welcome.

 

The next few months passed quickly as Nicole eased into her position as deputy. She and Waverly met regularly for various meals and movies and things, but somehow neither of them considered any of those dates. They were just friends. They could only be friends. 

 

As Nicole was falling for Waverly, she was still falling for “Wendy” and was torn up about it. The woman she'd gotten to know through letters was so open and kind and understanding and had the most beautiful heart… but so did Waverly. With a sigh, she realized that the only way she'd ever be able to figure it out was to finally meet “Wendy” in person and then just choose. Of course, that meant admitting that she was in Purgatory. 

 

_ Dear Wendy,  _

_ I have some good news! At least, I hope it's good and I hope you aren't mad at me by the end of this letter. It's been well over a year since we've become friends and I'd really love to meet you in person. I know what you're thinking. How can we possibly do that if we live several hours away from each other and we both have jobs and lives to deal with? Well, Wendy… I'm in Purgatory. I have been the past few months. One of the deputy jobs I applied for was in Purgatory, long before we began writing to each other. Surprisingly, I got the job. If you've met me already and didn't know it, my name is Deputy Nicole Haught.  _

_ I hope you can forgive me for not telling you. It killed me not to be able to see you, but I wasn't sure if I was ready. I started to fall in love with these letters, with our friendship, and I know how different it can be to know someone in real life. I didn't want to ruin that. But, if you still want to be friends after learning that I lied to you, then please consider meeting me in person. Please. I know that I'm ready now. I want to know you. I want to be friends in real life, as well as in our letters. I know you're an amazing and wonderful person that I would be honored to have in my life. Please consider it.  _

_ Yours,  _

_ Nicole  _ _ Rayleigh _ _ Haught.  _

 

She underlined her middle name so “Wendy” would understand. She put it in her pocket so she could mail it after work and headed to the station. 

 

A few hours later, Waverly walked into the station with some tea she'd made for Nicole, like she always did. But Nicole's desk was empty, save for an envelope and the woman's wallet. 

 

“Nedley, where's Deputy Haught?” Waverly asked. 

 

“Out on patrol. She's in trouble, we're sending in backup for her.” The sheriff replied quickly, grabbing his jacket. 

 

“What happened?” Just as she asked this, a call came in over Nedley's radio. 

 

“Sheriff? We found Deputy Haught. We're taking her to the emergency room. I think she'll be okay, but she needs to get there fast. She doesn't have her wallet with her, it's got her health insurance card. I think she left it on her desk. Can you send someone to bring it?” 

 

“Sure. Thanks, Lonnie. I'm sending Waverly Earp. She's the only other person here and a good friend of Nicole's. She'll want to be there. Keep a lookout for her when she gets there.” Nedley responded, then turned to Waverly. “Earp, grab that wallet and envelope on Haught's desk. I need you to bring her stuff to the hospital. Her jacket is here, too, she left it on her chair.” 

 

“Of course, Sheriff.” Waverly nodded quickly, not even glancing at the things as she pocketed them and grabbed Nicole's jacket.

 

As quickly as possible and trying not to think about how hurt Nicole might be, Waverly hurried to the hospital. What if Nicole was dying? Lonnie hadn't even said what the injury was. Had she been shot? No, she couldn't think about that right now. She just couldn't. She had to be there, had to help her friend. Her friend, who she had feelings for and would be devastated to lose, even though they'd only known each other for a few months. It was enough to know she liked her. As she drove, she decided that if Nicole survived this or was awake when she got there, she'd tell her. She'd tell her how she felt. She had to. Life was too short. 

 

She ran into the hospital and hurried to the reception desk. 

 

“Excuse me, I'm looking to see a patient? Or even just some information about her condition? Deputy Haught was just brought in a few minutes ago and I--” 

 

“Woah, slow down, miss, and take a deep breath. Who are you looking for?” The nurse asked gently. 

 

“Nicole, um-- Deputy Haught.” 

 

“Full name? I need her first, middle, and last names.” 

 

“I don't know her middle name… oh, wait! Just a minute, I've got her insurance card.” Waverly said and quickly pulled out the wallet, looking through it until she found the card. “Ah, here it is! Nicole Haught. Nicole Rayleigh… um. Haught. Nicole Rayleigh Haught.” 

 

And, in that moment, Waverly was about to come to the realization that she'd know Nicole for far longer than a few months.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Again, I'm sorry. The cliffhanger had to happen! 
> 
> I love you guys!


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the super short chapter, but I needed to get this in! Enjoy!

Waverly felt like her head was spinning. She’d only ever heard the name “Rayleigh” in one other situation. The letters. It had to be a coincidence. It just had to be… right? No, the name was too rare, it had to be her. Nicole was “Rayleigh”. She had to be. 

 

As Waverly walked down the hall to the room where Nicole was recovering, she felt something rustle in the pocket of Nicole’s jacket that she was carrying. Suddenly, she remembered the envelope she’d grabbed for her. Hesitating, she pulled it out and looked at who it was addressed to. The address on it was that of the homestead and the name was hers. Well, it was the fake one she’d used for the sake of the letters. She almost tore it open right then and there. It was meant for her, after all. But something stopped her. She couldn’t look at it, not while she felt this confused. With a shaky breath, she opened the door to the room. 

 

When she walked in, Nicole was awake, but tired looking. She had a bruise on her forehead and one of her hands had a brace on it. 

 

“Oh, my goodness…” Waverly murmured and Nicole looked up. 

 

“Hey… What’re you doing here?” 

 

“Nedley asked me to bring some things for you. Are you okay?” The brunette asked. 

 

“Yeah, I’m okay. Oh, hey, you brought my wallet!” She smiled. “Ah, and a letter I was going to send after work.”

 

“Nicole… Why didn’t you tell me you were in Purgatory?” Waverly asked after a moment. Nicole looked confused for a moment, then the realization dawned on her. 

 

“Oh, shit…” She sighed. “I, um… Actually, I explained it in the letter. So, if you want to read it… I mean, you were gonna get it anyways, you might as well read it now.” 

 

With a slight frown, Waverly tore open the letter and read it. 

 

“Nicole…”

 

“Waves, I’m sorry, okay? I know I lied. I know I didn’t tell you and I should have. But I was scared. I was so scared of ruining everything!” 

 

“Well, you kinda ruined it by not being honest and telling me you’d moved here. What, did you think I wasn’t going to be the person you imagined I was from the letters?”

 

“What? No. I was… I was afraid of messing up, of being different than you pictured me. I was afraid things would change because I wasn’t good enough.” 

 

“So, you lied to me? Maybe you were right, Nicole. Maybe we shouldn’t have met. Not like this.” Waverly muttered. She left the jacket and Nicole’s stuff on the nightstand and left the room.

 

Nicole, unable to get up from the bed, was left to wallow, the words said echoing in her head over and over. How could she be so stupid? Waverly was right, of course, but that didn’t mean Nicole had to like it. She had lied to the one person she cared about most, and now she couldn’t get her back. Not as far as she could tell, anyways.

 

“Hey, Haught-shot. What the hell did you do to my sister? Why did I walk in here to see her crying her eyes out?” 

 

Nicole looked up at the voice, to find none other than Wynonna Earp standing in the doorway. Well, now it all made sense. In the letters, Waverly had mentioned Wynonna being her sister. Considering Nicole had never met Wynonna, she didn’t make the connection until now. 

 

“Wynonna, I swear I didn’t mean to hurt her. I was overly careful and I misled her and-- I’m so sorry, just let me explain.” Nicole said quickly. Wynonna just nodded and sat down across from the hospital bed. 

 

“Okay, Red. You’ve got two minutes. Start talking.”

 


	8. Chapter 8

“So, you were afraid of ruining what you had through the letters and didn’t tell her you were in Purgatory? But then you became friends with her in real life?” Wynonna asked after hearing Nicole’s story.

 

“Right. But, I didn’t know at the time that they were the same person.”

 

“Wait, really? Because the story you just told… You knew right away when she asked you about lying to her, that she was your pen pal person.” 

 

“It was a few things, actually, that tipped me off. And that moment just happened to connect it all together. There were some little details, little things about the way she spoke that made her seem so damn familiar. I couldn’t figure out why. And when she asked why I hadn’t told her, I knew she meant through the letters. I mean, I didn’t have anyone back home that cared that I was here. The only person it would have mattered to was her. And she had this… this look on her face, when she asked me about it. In the letters, she sometimes told me about times you or someone else had lied to her, kept information from her, things like that. And the look on her face just now was as if the feelings she’d described in her writing were combined and transformed into an image… an image of her face, just looking so… sad. And betrayed. And somehow, that was the connection I needed to figure it out.” 

 

Wynonna sat back, processing the information. She studied the Nicole’s face for a moment, then decided the deputy was telling the truth. 

 

“You want her back, right? You still want to be her friend?” Wynonna asked.

 

“More than that. Ever since I’ve met her in person, I’ve had feelings for her.” 

 

“Oh, boy. Now I’m stuck in a romance movie with two idiots. Okay, here’s the deal. Waverly is gonna push you away unless you do something, and fast. Her whole life, she’s been abandoned, forgotten, a whole mess of things. If you don’t convince her otherwise, she’d gonna believe that you’re the same as everyone else. I’ll be damned if I let her feel like that again.”

 

“Okay. Shit, if I’d realized--” 

 

“It’s fine, she doesn’t talk about it a lot. So let’s just figure out how to get you talking to her again.”

 

“Alright, so then what do I do?”

 

“Talk to her. Make her listen to you. Just show her how much you really care about her.” 

 

“Okay… That, I might be able to do. But I don’t get out of the hospital until tomorrow morning because of the concussion.” Nicole said. 

 

“Stop by the homestead at noon tomorrow. I’ll make sure she’s there.” 

 

“Thank you, Wynonna. You really don’t have to do this.”

 

Wynonna shrugged. “Yeah, actually, I kinda do. I don’t want to see her get hurt again. Besides… you seem kinda cool. But you so owe me after this.”

 

“What exactly will I owe you?” Nicole chuckled softly.

 

“Whiskey. Oh, and donuts.” 

 

“Weird combination, but sure. If this goes well, I’ll get you all the whiskey and donuts you could ever want.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's really really short today and I apologize for that, but I have to finish writing a play for class. That, and this seemed like a natural spot to end the chapter before Nicole talks to Waverly. Don't worry, this will have a happy ending.
> 
> On that note, I'm not totally sure how much further I want this to go? Maybe two of three chapters at most? I have some cute ideas for their first date, but I'm not sure how far I want to go after that.
> 
> Additionally, I had an idea for a more angsty fic to do next, focusing on the events after season three? I'm interested in writing an angry and determined Nicole. That, and I need something to tide me over for the hiatus. Let me know what you think!


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Woohoo! I finally posted! Sorry it took so long, writer's block and school and ideas for a new story kinda got in the way. But hopefully I'll post again within the next few days!

“Why exactly are we here right now? Wyn, I’ve got to get to work by 1:30.” Waverly sighed as the clock ticked closer and closer to noon.

 

“I just wanted to have lunch with you, for once, before you run off for work.” 

 

“If you’re going to give me a speech about how I should really stop feeling sorry for myself about Nicole, I’d prefer you didn’t.” 

 

“That’s not what I was going to do, I promise. I just want to spend time with you.” Wynonna shrugged, praying that Nicole would show up soon. 

 

“Fine, I’ll stay till 12:30, but then I’ve really gotta go.” Waverly sighed and sat down at the table. As she did so, a knock sounded at the door. Wynonna immediately got up to get it. She knew that if Waverly answered the door, she wouldn’t let Nicole in. 

 

“Oh, good, you’re here.” Wynonna said as she let Nicole in.

 

“Who’s here?” Waverly asked, walking in from the kitchen.

 

“Just our favorite Purgatory Deputy.” 

 

“Nicole?” Waverly’s expression changed multiple times in just a few seconds. First she was pleasantly surprised, then angry, then sad, then betrayed all over again. 

 

“Hey, Waverly.” Nicole said tentatively. As much as she wanted to make her listen, to make her understand, she knew that she had to do this on Waverly’s terms to get it right.

 

“What are you doing here? I don’t want to talk about this, Nicole. I really don’t. I need time.” Waverly said slowly, trying not to sound as angry as she felt.

 

“I know. I get it. You have every right to be mad. And I promise I’ll back off, but I need to explain myself, first. Just let me tell my side of the story, then I’ll go and I’ll let you have your space. I swear.” Nicole said, sounding about as desperate as she felt. Waverly hesitated a moment before nodding. 

 

“Yeah, okay. Okay, fine.” She sighed and motioned for Nicole to sit down. Nicole did so and began to explain her case, reiterating everything she had told Wynonna.

 

“... and I understand why you’re upset. I really do. I mean, that was awful of me, to lead you on like that.” She finished. 

 

“Yeah, it was awful. The thing is, though, what hurts the most is that you were the one person that finally got me to let my guard down, to be myself, to maybe accept that I may not exactly be straight. You were that person that I trusted so quickly. I opened up to you, both in the letters and in real life. I thought I had finally met someone I could do that with. But I turned out to be wrong. No matter what I do, I always seem to get hurt. I take too long to trust and I end up losing people. I trust too quickly, and I end up getting lied to or betrayed or hurt somehow. I want that pattern to end. And I thought that it had. I know you’re sorry. And I forgive you. I do. But I don’t know if I can go back to… what we had.” 

 

Nicole was quiet for a moment, processing this. She felt bad enough, but hearing how it had hurt Waverly made her even more determined to fix it. 

 

“I know… I know we can’t immediately go back to what we had. But can we start over, at least? Can we be friends, maybe? Please, Waverly, I need you in my life. I don’t care in what capacity, I just… I can’t live without you. You’re one of my only friends. Here in Purgatory, and even back home. I’ve never felt so safe.” 

 

“Fine. we can be… friends.” Waverly winced, hating to say that. Just a few days before, she’d been longing to go on an actual date with Nicole. This wasn’t exactly what she wanted. But Nicole was right. She couldn’t live without her, either. “Why don’t you come back tomorrow evening around 7:00? Wynonna and some friends are gonna be here for drinks. You can join us if you want.” 

 

Nicole smiled at this. “Are you sure? I don’t want to impose.” 

 

“If we’re going to be friends, then you should probably get to know them, anyways. They’re cool people, I promise.   
  


“Alright, then. I’ll be there, Earp.”

 

**Author's Note:**

> I couldn't help using Nicole's middle name as the fake name she uses. It's important. Also, I apologize for the terrible name choosing I did for Waverly, but I had no other ideas. Leave comments and kudos, I can't wait to see what you guys think of this! 
> 
> PS, I put Purgatory in Colorado. Whether that's correct or not, that's what I'm going with. The real Wyatt Earp did live in Colorado for a period of time, and Purgatory is a real town in Colorado. So.... yeah. Just go with it.


End file.
